The weight of expectations in a cricket-mad country like India is huge but Virat Kohli has done an exceptional job leading the side, says Australia’s limited overs skipper Aaron Finch. Finch said all players are expected to endure some bad time but players like Kohli, Steve Smith, Ricky Ponting and batting great Sachin Tendulkar are exceptions.
“Every player, regardless of who it is, has a bad series. But very very rarely do you see Kohli, (Steve) Smith, even going back (Ricky) Ponting, Sachin (Tendulkar), these guys they don’t have two bad series in a row,” Finch said on the Sony Ten Pit Stop show.
“The pressure of playing for India is one but also leading India is another and the way he (Kohli) has done it, so consistently for a long time. “And taking over from (MS) Dhoni , the leadership, that is huge. The expectations were high and he kept delivering and I think that that is the most impressive thing,” he added. Finch was impressed with Kohli’s consistency as a batsman too.
“What has been so impressive for so long is just his consistency across three formats. To be the best player of all-time in ODI cricket is one thing but then to also be in Test cricket and T20 cricket as a rounded player that is remarkable,”he said.
The ICC has banned use of saliva to shine the ball and Finch said the players will have to get used to it. “I haven’t spoken to anyone in England or the West Indies camp on how that’s (saliva ban) going to go. But that is something that the players have to adapt to over the next couple of months (or) however long that it lasts. Finding different ways to shine the ball, because I think naturally, just out of instinct or habit, you lick the fingers and you rub the ball.
“So I am sure there will be some inadvertent mistakes. Everyone has to be really flexible and accommodating and understand that things are going to be different to what they were four months ago,” added the 33-year-old batsman.
After the outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic, Test cricket will resume on July 8 when England take on the West Indies in a three match series.
